June 9, 2026
Stefan Sorenson - Persecutor - Interview
Most heavy metal bands try to reinvent the wheel — these guys just crush it with old-school thrash that hits like a freight train. Denmark’s Persecutor is redefining the genre, blending fierce nostalgia with modern aggression on their recent album Casualties Of Violence, a 31-minute album packed with relentless riffs and raw energy. Stefan Sorensen, riff meister and long-time member, takes us inside the band's creative process, influences, and the secrets behind their old school crushing sound, what it really takes to stay motivated on the road and just how much they all love Britney Spears.
Discover how decades-old riffs can still shape a band's identity, why mixing old-school thrash with death metal elements is a recipe for audacious authenticity, and how their minimalist, no-filler album formula keeps listeners hooked from start to finish. Stefan reveals the band’s unique approach to songwriting—drawing inspiration from the Big Four (Five? Six?) — and how their Danish roots fuel a thriving local metal scene that’s bigger than most realize. They also dive into their gear choices, the pros and cons of digital vs. real amps, and how a shared love of Britney Spears surprisingly brought this band together. Britney Spears? Obviously. It's BRITNEY BITCH.
If you’re tired of bloated records with filler tracks, Casualties Of Violence might just be for you. The band's focus on tight, impactful metal exemplifies how less can be so much more. Perfect for fans of old-school thrash, fans who appreciate honest storytelling, or anyone curious about balancing raw passion with professional craftsmanship. Whether you're a musician or just a metalhead looking for inspiration, Stefan’s insights will hit you hard and leave you eager for more.
So grab a Smørrebrød and settle in for a chat about caveman riffs, the band's dream to conquer the world, and how a leotard and Britney obsession nearly made their stage will still make them a viral sensation.
| Christian Andrés Almanza | Bass, Vocals (2018-present) |
| See also: Vallis Mortem | |
| Benjamin Stage | Guitars (lead) (2016-present) |
| See also: ex-Cosmic Disorder, ex-Desecrator | |
| Christopher Hejgaard | Drums (2017-present) |
| See also: ex-Ilumize | |
| Stefan Sørensen | Guitars (rhythm) (2018-present) |
WATCH
LISTEN
Staying on track with our recent deep dive into heavy bands out of Denmark, we have got with us today Stefan Sorenson,
7 seconds
guitar player with Denmark's own Persecutor. If you're into old school '90s thrash with modern, aggressive and super melodic hooks, stick around as16 seconds
Stefan takes us through the band's latest album and exactly what it is that makes Perseutor tick. Stefan, thank you so much for joining us, man. How are you today?26 seconds
Thank you for having me. Um, I'm good.27 seconds
It's been a long day. It's getting late here. It's dark outside. Um but yeah, I was looking forward to this. I still am.36 seconds
Um so yeah, I'm excited. It's uh so awesome for you just to accept a message from a random guy from an unknown band.45 seconds
Well, I got to tell you, so I found out about you through the algorithm. Um and so I was looking at something to do with54 seconds
Kerry King. Um, and uh, all of a sudden I went through Hell I Rise and on the1 minute, 1 second
bottom was Persecutor and your your record. And I got to tell you, I sat there and listened to Casualties of1 minute, 7 seconds
Violence and then I went back to Carrie King's album and I liked your record better and the algorithm was, you know,1 minute, 16 seconds
telling me to listen to your record and I'm like, "This is great." and your album front to back was absolutely1 minute, 24 seconds
magnificent. Whereas Car's album was, you know, it was there were some highlights, but there was a lot of boring [ __ ] in it. So, let me ask you,1 minute, 32 seconds
what are the highlights for you of Casualties of Violence? Oh, um, straight to the point. I'm so [ __ ] at giving answers like this.1 minute, 41 seconds
Um, because sometimes it shifts from day to day what kind of mood you're in, what songs you prefer. One of the highlights1 minute, 50 seconds
for me is a song that's grown on me since we released the album and started bringing the songs um you know with us1 minute, 59 seconds
out you know to play live. It's um Iron Tide the second well it's technically the third song on the album but2 minutes, 7 seconds
if you yeah take away the intro um Iron Tide is I wasn't really that big of a2 minutes, 15 seconds
fan. It had some awesome elements, some I didn't really like, but the overall package of just delivery. I think it's an awesome song now and it's fun life.2 minutes, 26 seconds
Um, and then I also like I like the closing song as well to Hold hands with Death.2 minutes, 34 seconds
Uh, straightforward. Um, the the foot doesn't come off the gas pedal at any point. It's just relentless, I would2 minutes, 43 seconds
say. um yeah to a point where we can still keep Yeah.2 minutes, 48 seconds
The the entire album is relentless in that regard. It's just it's what 31 minutes of in your face Yeah.2 minutes, 55 seconds
thrash old school thrash with new school vibe to it. It's a great record. What was the intent, you know, in terms of3 minutes, 3 seconds
when you when you were developing your sound for the album? Were you pulling from old school notions or is that like where does where does the band live in3 minutes, 12 seconds
terms of vibe most of the time? We're um like most people playing thresh thresh3 minutes, 21 seconds
stuff we all grew up with the same bands. We all grew up with Metallica Testament Slayer Anthrax all of that3 minutes, 29 seconds
stuff. Uh Cultura. Um, so, so we we have a like a foot in each camp.3 minutes, 37 seconds
Uh, the old school stuff mixed in with the modern. Um, there's also that bit of um, death metal inspiration to some of the riffs, the drumming as well.3 minutes, 47 seconds
Christopher's doing blast beats, all of that stuff. Um, so, so it's like an an I3 minutes, 54 seconds
don't know, like an an homage to all the old stuff, the stuff we all grew up with and still love. Um, and then it's not4 minutes, 2 seconds
like reinventing the wheel or anything, but but like a more modern approach to it, uh, in terms of sound, uh, the way4 minutes, 9 seconds
we, yeah, put it together. Um, so, so it's a it's a mixed bag and sometimes a4 minutes, 16 seconds
certain number just or track just feels or sounds better. Um, taking in one of4 minutes, 23 seconds
the two directions, but mostly we just throw everything into a pot and just stir it until it sounds cool.4 minutes, 31 seconds
Now, before we keep talking about the album, I I do have to ask you um you you went and played Coppenhell and4 minutes, 39 seconds
Christian's outfit uh on stage. Um you chose Britney Spears to wear, I think, and but he looked like Freddy Mercury up4 minutes, 47 seconds
there. Um why didn't the whole band wear the same outfit?4 minutes, 52 seconds
None of us ask Christians to see. Um he's a he's a jacked guy.5 minutes
Uh we we can't pull off like a what do you call like a uniard leotard? Yeah. Yeah. I think that that was a leotard.5 minutes, 8 seconds
Yeah. Uh we can't pull this stuff off.5 minutes, 11 seconds
He can't. Um and it's he has a few. Um our drummer Christopher his mom makes them.5 minutes, 20 seconds
Um so yeah uh he has a few but um for the last few years they've actually just5 minutes, 27 seconds
been kept in the closet and haven't been brought out much but we thought what the hell um when it yeah looking back at the5 minutes, 35 seconds
Copenhell concert and for me personally I mean you always see dudes in your5 minutes, 42 seconds
favorite black metal shirt and camo shorts and all of that and I do like Britney Spears so I was like I'm [ __ ] bringing Britney on the stage with me.5 minutes, 53 seconds
Um, so yeah.5 minutes, 55 seconds
Well, well, when we put the short together on this, we'll tag Britney on it and maybe she'll, you know, send you some love.6 minutes, 1 second
[ __ ] yeah. I'll take is Britney [ __ ] uh on the back. Yeah, love it.6 minutes, 9 seconds
We we try and stay away from the the you know the the kind of tried and trueue questions like who are your influences and all that but you bring up a good6 minutes, 17 seconds
point that you are a fan of Britney's music whether you're joking or not when you say that when you hear pop music.6 minutes, 25 seconds
Okay. All right. Which is which is fair.6 minutes, 28 seconds
Are there any pop music styles or influences that you guys draw from and inject into what you're doing? any6 minutes, 35 seconds
styles outside of, you know, thrash metal, say?6 minutes, 39 seconds
Yeah. Um, I I don't I don't think there is or or they ever will be. Um, I wish6 minutes, 47 seconds
we had like I don't know the talent or the creativity to try and mix that stuff up. But actually, I don't think it it6 minutes, 56 seconds
will work out that well. It's it's just for, you know, p let's say private private consumption. um all the pop7 minutes, 4 seconds
stuff as well. Some of us like it more than others, but I I think we can all agree on on bands like Queen. Um and7 minutes, 13 seconds
sometimes just again like I mentioned earlier, um some songs just they they know they don't need to be that7 minutes, 20 seconds
complicated. You know, the classic setup, you have a verse, you have a pre chorus and a chorus, stuff like that. um the way to build a song like the the7 minutes, 28 seconds
whole I'm not saying pop music is simple but sometimes it is you know and and that approach can work as well in the7 minutes, 37 seconds
metal side of things. Again our album is 31 minutes long or something like that.7 minutes, 42 seconds
Uh it just it just works. It's not too much. It's not too little for us. It's the perfect length. Again, some songs7 minutes, 50 seconds
are longer than others, but that whole pop approach, those three and a half minute, four minute songs, it works.7 minutes, 59 seconds
It certainly does. Um, going back to Christian, how did you guys get to come8 minutes, 6 seconds
together um as a band? When, you know, who knew each other? And then, you know, Christian's a talented guy. You're all talented. I mean, my god, the the8 minutes, 15 seconds
precision by which that you deliver incredible metal and thrash is great, but um you know, the it's hard to sing8 minutes, 22 seconds
the way that he sings and play bass. So, it it led me to how did you guys find each other and agree on the sound?8 minutes, 30 seconds
Okay. Um we have to go a bit back. Um, so Christian used to play bass and sing8 minutes, 37 seconds
in a band called Valism Mortm and they shared what do you call like a rehearsal space, practice space with8 minutes, 45 seconds
uh persecutor who were called desecrator back then other band members um Benjamin the other guitarist he's the only close8 minutes, 54 seconds
to being original member at this point um but they knew each other she had rehearsal space all of that and I Um, I9 minutes, 3 seconds
just I I moved uh we we're based uh in a city called Haw and I moved to that city9 minutes, 10 seconds
without really knowing anyone. Um, and I just got lucky one day. I worked at uh what's it called? Like uh we don't have9 minutes, 17 seconds
them anymore, but a shop that sold CDs, you know, physical media, stuff like that. Mhm.9 minutes, 22 seconds
Benjamin came in one day and bought two uh anthrax CDs off me. Um, and uh, funny9 minutes, 29 seconds
enough, the apartment I moved into, the guy living underneath me was the basist at that point in uh, Descrator. And he9 minutes, 36 seconds
was like, "Are you living above him?" And I was like, "Yeah, I do." And we started talking. And then I started hanging out with the guys, having a9 minutes, 44 seconds
couple of beers, stuff like that. And just got involved with them without playing with and we just started hanging9 minutes, 52 seconds
out on the weekends. And then Christian's whole band, they stopped playing. And the funny thing is Christian's always been a fan of10 minutes
Desecrator or Persecutor. Uh, and then, uh, in the summer of 2018, Persecutor10 minutes, 8 seconds
had a lineup changed, kind of kicked out the old singer and guitarist. Um, and they needed, you know, new members.10 minutes, 18 seconds
Christian was like an immediate thought for them and they knew me and I played a little bit of guitar, not that much. And10 minutes, 26 seconds
they just wrote me and I was like, "Hey, do you want to look at like I think three songs? Come practice with us." Yeah, let's see if it works out. And it10 minutes, 35 seconds
did. And Christian uh picked up the bass as well. Yeah, that's really it.10 minutes, 41 seconds
Isn't it amazing how a shared love of Britney Spears can bring a band together? Mo most of us like Britney, not all. But yeah, but but that's more or less it again.10 minutes, 52 seconds
Denmark's not that big. Horses is definite. And sharing a practice space and knowing, you know, the few people at10 minutes, 58 seconds
the local, you know, metal stage. Yeah, it was just an obvious choice.11 minutes, 4 seconds
Clearly, there was at least a small metal scene there in that town. What What is the metal scene like? Has it grown since then? Or if you take Denmark in general, yeah, it's definitely grown.11 minutes, 15 seconds
But horses were based, uh, no, it's the opposite direction. Um, but but the11 minutes, 24 seconds
metal scene is thriving like it hasn't been for, I don't know, 10, 15 years.11 minutes, 30 seconds
It's things are actually going pretty great when you look at like, you know, the big picture. Yeah.11 minutes, 36 seconds
Yeah. We've been interviewing more and more bands from Denmark and asking you guys to stay up late over there and meet with us cuz we John and I are old and11 minutes, 44 seconds
10:00 here we're in bed. Well, not John, he's a night owl, but he's up playing Grand Theft Auto until ours. I am11 minutes, 52 seconds
ancient fussle and need to go to bed at 10. We all we need our wrist. Yeah.11 minutes, 58 seconds
Yeah, exactly. Um, getting back to the album. Um, tell me a little bit about and tell us a little bit about did you12 minutes, 6 seconds
have a vision for this record? Was there something that you were looking to achieve when writing and and recording this record? Anything that you can give12 minutes, 15 seconds
us that maybe you haven't talked about or the band hasn't talked about publicly before?12 minutes, 20 seconds
Um, I'll do my best. Uh, I know you guys just uh spoke to Detonate. Um, yes.12 minutes, 27 seconds
Yeah. Um, those guys, they're everything we're not. They are calculated. They12 minutes, 34 seconds
have a clear vision. We We just play what we think sounds cool, if you know what I do. Um,12 minutes, 42 seconds
say we had we had a vision for the album. I I don't necessarily think we did. It's It's taken a while to put12 minutes, 50 seconds
together. The eight songs, nine if you include the intro, they've actually been worked on throughout.12 minutes, 58 seconds
Some of the ideas are like at least 5 years old. Some got cut off from the old album Vendetta. Um, so, so I don't think13 minutes, 7 seconds
we had like a a vision per se, just just, you know, still that we still do right now, but but that feeling of just13 minutes, 16 seconds
wanting to do more more aggression, just push push it as far as we can with our13 minutes, 24 seconds
skills and just see where we can take it. Um, not just the music, but the people we're working with, how far push13 minutes, 31 seconds
it, can we get it, you know, outside of the Danish borders? Is there any interest for stuff like this or is everybody just into um old school death13 minutes, 40 seconds
metal like they are in Denmark right now which is fine but um so so there's no like there's no um what do you call like13 minutes, 48 seconds
a fine red line throughout the album um or any like specific themes we're sticking to like a concept album. It's13 minutes, 56 seconds
just four idiots creating what they think sound basically. We're two idiots that just talk to a bunch of idiots that14 minutes, 3 seconds
make loud music. So, it all works. We're all idiots. And I love it. I love it.14 minutes, 9 seconds
So, this for you, this is a a like you said, there's not an overarching theme to the tracks on this record. It's more14 minutes, 16 seconds
a collection of just moments of music that you guys have worked on for as far back as a couple five years up to present.14 minutes, 25 seconds
Yeah. How much, if any, of the stuff got written in the studio or did you have it all pretty much locked up before you14 minutes, 33 seconds
guys went into track? Everything is pretty much locked up before we hit the studio. Um, we've for for the few albums14 minutes, 42 seconds
we've done, we've worked with the same guy, uh, Andreas. Um, he's behind, uh, Danish a a bunch of different Danish14 minutes, 50 seconds
bands. um mostly based uh the biggest death metal act we have right now. He always has, you know, a few inputs and that's why we like working with him.15 minutes, 1 second
He's like, "Oh, I have an idea." And it's always [ __ ] brilliant. Um idea.15 minutes, 8 seconds
Yeah. But but everything is mostly locked in. I think for this one we rewrote um a couple of solos maybe and I15 minutes, 17 seconds
think some of the lyrics um like the last few sentences and some of the15 minutes, 23 seconds
phrasing were done in the studio while Christopher was tracking drums or Benjamin was tracking his solo or something.15 minutes, 32 seconds
Christian and I finished the last um lyric details and like uh you can approach it this way or this way. Um,15 minutes, 39 seconds
but everything is more or less set and then it's the all the small inputs and details from Andreas that always, you15 minutes, 47 seconds
know, adds the the extra spice. He just has that producer ear like things we wouldn't ever ever think about or like he just try this and it just it worked.15 minutes, 59 seconds
It's magic. Well, I noticed uh on this and you certainly there are solos, there's leads on this album, but a lot of the leads tend to take place sort of16 minutes, 7 seconds
in the in the middle of the fretboard as opposed to, you know, up high on the neck on the 24th fret. How how much by16 minutes, 14 seconds
design was that that those all got woven into sort of, you know, that mid-range as opposed to peeking out through the top?16 minutes, 22 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. Going for the 24th fret. Um it it is it is by design. Um, again we spoke about, you know, inspirations.16 minutes, 32 seconds
I would say Benjamin and I, uh, for me, um, I like a lot of silosis. Um, and16 minutes, 39 seconds
also for Benjamin and I, uh, Swedish band, The Haunted. And, um, they have a16 minutes, 46 seconds
this approach to like elite harmonies that this, like you mentioned, um, kind16 minutes, 53 seconds
of mid-rangy. Um, and a lot of it was drawn from like those two bands specifically. Yeah. So, it's it's we're just stealing.17 minutes, 4 seconds
Did you Was it tough to to to make that happen without fighting the rhythm guitars during those sections? Uh, actually, no.17 minutes, 12 seconds
Or was that a producer move, the mixing engineer?17 minutes, 16 seconds
I I think a lot of a lot of has to do with um the whole mixing. Um but but we17 minutes, 23 seconds
we've played everything so many times um in our practice space and testing out ideas. Should you play this way? Should I move it up higher? Should I go lower?17 minutes, 32 seconds
Um back and forth, back and forth. And just until we find the right harmony or where the lead fits the rhythm. Um17 minutes, 42 seconds
and then at some point we're like, it's fine. Don't touch it. Leave it at it.17 minutes, 48 seconds
It worked. Just Yeah. So, so there is a a certain level of attention, but uh without getting into um the dead territory of nerdiness.18 minutes, 1 second
Yeah, they're nerds. Um speaking, I'm going to go nerdy actually on you a little bit here. Um18 minutes, 7 seconds
how did you get to a place like how did you pick the gear that works for you to create that old school thrashy sound?18 minutes, 16 seconds
What do you use? What's your what's your what's your armor and weapons? It is super super super basic. Um, I love18 minutes, 24 seconds
gear. I think I'm the guy that loves gear the most. Um, John John will challenge you on that one. He He's a He gear is porn for him.18 minutes, 34 seconds
Yeah.18 minutes, 35 seconds
Yeah. Um, I love looking at the stuff, but I'm just a poor musician like everybody else, so I don't have, you know, the extra income to throw after,18 minutes, 45 seconds
you know, boutique guitar amps. Uh, it's pretty basic. T150.18 minutes, 50 seconds
Yeah, it it it just works. Either the old school PD block letter or EVH.18 minutes, 57 seconds
Yeah. Uh we used both Benjamin and I for quite a while. We both had the 50 watt uh head EVH 5153.19 minutes, 7 seconds
Um and it's mostly based on that. We did some on this album after everything was recorded. Andreas was done and we19 minutes, 15 seconds
shipped it to Germany for all the mixing and mastering. Um, we did a bit of reamping. I've been diving into Engle19 minutes, 25 seconds
amplification. Um, especially the Engle Savage and uh, Nino, the guy handling the19 minutes, 33 seconds
mixing and mastering, he's um, I think fully endorsed by Engle. So he has like a stack of just ankle heads and he's like, "What do you want?19 minutes, 43 seconds
The savage, please see what you can do." Yeah. So there's a bit of the angle savage. Um I'm already looking into19 minutes, 52 seconds
ideas for when we're doing our next album or EP or whatever. Um this is uh I think it's a German brand as well called20 minutes
Driftwood. Um they make an amplifier called the Purple Nightmare sound source. I had a quick quick quick quick20 minutes, 8 seconds
chat with uh Ree from Havoc. Um um a thresh metal band. You guys definitely know them.20 minutes, 17 seconds
Yeah, we know.20 minutes, 18 seconds
Yeah. Um and the the album they did a few years ago called Yeah. Just You know, V or five. Um I asked him what20 minutes, 26 seconds
amps they were using because that album just sound sick to me and it was the Purple Nightmare. Um, so I'm looking20 minutes, 33 seconds
into how we can get that, but I think it's just going to be like, you know, um, um, what do you call like a digital20 minutes, 41 seconds
amplifier, either quad cortex or keer or something like that. But yeah, there's a lot of ways to take it.20 minutes, 48 seconds
Yeah. Where do you stand on real physical amps versus modelers? Like you said, Keer, Helix.20 minutes, 53 seconds
Yeah. Um, Benjamin and I both switched to digital.20 minutes, 59 seconds
Um, I like both. There's something about it's it's the same thing everybody tells you. Something about a real amp pushing21 minutes, 7 seconds
air through a cabinet behind you that cannot be beaten. But getting older, we21 minutes, 15 seconds
haven't done much of flying around, but we have done some. Carrying around um a 50 watt or 100 watt head, whatever um is just [ __ ] inconvenient.21 minutes, 27 seconds
But having everything on just I I have a keer profiler player which is like this big.21 minutes, 35 seconds
I just threw it in my backpack and just a guitar in each hand and I'm good to go. And Benjamin is using the21 minutes, 43 seconds
quad cortex. It's I mean once you're on stage and everything is playing full blast drums everything I don't think you21 minutes, 51 seconds
can tell the difference really. I don't I don't think so. There might be a few guys in the audience that can, but but22 minutes
mostly nah, I don't think you can. Once you start geeking out, finding the right profiles, all the settings, all of that22 minutes, 7 seconds
stuff. You you you can get some killer tones. And it's an easy way if you're a gear nerd to like try out different stuff as well without breaking, you22 minutes, 15 seconds
know, your bank. So, you want a Marshall, you want an EVH, you want a Driftwood, you just download a profile.22 minutes, 22 seconds
you had um when we first started talking about doing this, you had mentioned caveman riffs, talking caveman riffs.22 minutes, 29 seconds
And I was thinking about it and I was like, "Okay, are you going to talk about his caveman riffs or what to you are the22 minutes, 38 seconds
top five caveman riffs that come to mind that you cannot be who you are today if they didn't exist?" We can do both.22 minutes, 46 seconds
Let's do both. I'll see if I can do a top five. one of um SOD Stormtroopers of Death.22 minutes, 54 seconds
Uh yeah. Um it it's just it's just a banger riff. I was watching you guys actually and you spoke about Testament23 minutes, 2 seconds
and I was like, "Oh [ __ ] I have to go back and listen to some Testament." The Gathering album. Yeah.23 minutes, 8 seconds
Is um tuned down to C standard and it's just there's so many awesome riffs on that album. Yeah.23 minutes, 18 seconds
Some of the titles are gone, but there's just so much packed into that ca caveman wise. It's just so heavy. And then23 minutes, 26 seconds
everything supported by Dave Lombardo on the drums. Um he's my favorite. So it's23 minutes, 34 seconds
it's a match made in heaven. And then more recently, it's not that caveman, but then again, you have um you get a stink face from it. You go.23 minutes, 43 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. The chucking is just Yeah.23 minutes, 47 seconds
It just gets you. You have to like stick out your your lips like Yeah.23 minutes, 53 seconds
You have um guys like uh Power Chip or after they kind of took a break, Fugitive. Blake continued.24 minutes, 3 seconds
Did you see that we had Blake on here? I did and I watched it. Awesome. Um, and24 minutes, 10 seconds
and some of the riffs those guys do are just insanely [ __ ] heavy and it's24 minutes, 17 seconds
just all E standard and it it's it's like a a modern approach for me at least. So like the the good old school like caveman riffs.24 minutes, 27 seconds
Um, what else comes to mind? Like good caveman riffs. Um they're not playing anymore, but I'm a huge huge fan of a I24 minutes, 37 seconds
think the Detroitbased uh band called Plague Years. Yeah.24 minutes, 42 seconds
Um they did a few albums and then uh one of the band members I think lost his daughter. Uh yeah. And they called it24 minutes, 50 seconds
quits, which is more than fair. Um but they they they just have a sound that just24 minutes, 58 seconds
inately connected with me. Um, and they are definitely worth checking out if you haven't dived into plate gears. It Yeah,25 minutes, 6 seconds
it it's caveman but with a modern yet old school approach. It's just it's just heavy. It's just disgusting in a cool way.25 minutes, 15 seconds
Yeah.25 minutes, 16 seconds
What are your five? Like what are you what are you most proud of for riffs with Persecutor?25 minutes, 20 seconds
Damn. I don't know. I don't know if I'm necessarily proud of anything. Um, I just Well, you should be.25 minutes, 29 seconds
I don't know. It's just it's just a bunch of dumb ideas thrown together. Well, think think about this, though.25 minutes, 36 seconds
We're we're half way around the world and your music moved us and I've got a 12-year-old that loves it. And so, you25 minutes, 44 seconds
know, it's it may be caveman coming together just hanging out, you know, dressing in leotards, but it's pretty25 minutes, 52 seconds
darn good music that has cavemen and leotards.25 minutes, 55 seconds
Thank you. Um, I think, um, one of the songs, not just riffwise,26 minutes, 2 seconds
but just one of the songs I'm most proud of is, uh, on the second album, Vendetta. Um, the longest track we've26 minutes, 11 seconds
ever done, seven and something minutes, nothing remains. It has a bunch of really cool different elements that kind26 minutes, 19 seconds
of thumbs up, I guess, what we kind of do as a band. And just from the fast26 minutes, 28 seconds
intro riff to the death metal kind of break in the middle to the low and crushing, you know, outro of the song.26 minutes, 36 seconds
Um, that one is really cool and always gets, you know, the crowd going. And then I think on the new album, um, Born26 minutes, 44 seconds
and Blood, the opening track, um, I like that one a lot as well. It's actually pretty caveman if you if you break it26 minutes, 53 seconds
down. It's just a lot of gallop gallop gallop gallop. Um, and then switched into tremolo picking at the27 minutes
same riff basically. But that idea has been with me since I think 202027 minutes, 9 seconds
and then reworked, brought into the rehearsal space, shot down, took it with27 minutes, 16 seconds
me back home, reworked it, brought it back, and a lot of back and forth until we settled on cool. I think this can27 minutes, 23 seconds
work. And then we hit the studio and Andreas just sprinkled a bit of extra producer magic on top of it. Um, I think27 minutes, 33 seconds
Born in Blood is a pretty cool song and it's just it it kind of sums up who I am. Uh, I27 minutes, 41 seconds
wrote most of it and the lyrics and it's all um Lovecraftian uh video games, Cthulhu nerdy stuff and27 minutes, 51 seconds
yeah, it's it's it's what makes, you know, music writing fun when you can like bring in all the stuff that you27 minutes, 59 seconds
personally like and maybe there's like five people out there who's like, "Ah, I know what he's talking about.28 minutes, 6 seconds
Yeah, I played that game." stuff like that. Yeah.28 minutes, 10 seconds
What uh what song or band do you listen to that is part of your personal music library that would surprise people?28 minutes, 20 seconds
Yeah, that's a good question. I listen to a lot. We all do. What could that be?28 minutes, 24 seconds
I don't know if there's any surprises. I I like I like a lot of stuff. I like Do you have a stack of Selen Dion discs,28 minutes, 32 seconds
you know, in back that you just absolutely love? But it it's not impossible.28 minutes, 38 seconds
I do have a soft spot for uh a lot of um my mom listens to or used to listen to a lot of dire straits which is it's not28 minutes, 47 seconds
you know most guitarists know know them well but a lot of dire straits28 minutes, 53 seconds
um also grew up with her listening to a bunch of Johnny Cash some Fleetwood Mac as well again not none of these are like29 minutes, 3 seconds
that that stand out but it it's pretty like embedded in in who I Yeah. What I like I like a lot of29 minutes, 11 seconds
different stuff. Um right now I'm I'm digging into like an Australian punk band called Rat Salad.29 minutes, 20 seconds
So a lot of different stuff. Um that last question and then we'll get into the uh quickies that John likes to do.29 minutes, 29 seconds
Uh what's the goal for the band? Where where do you guys want to go?29 minutes, 32 seconds
Uh the same as everyone else. Yeah. We want to travel the world and play uh29 minutes, 38 seconds
clubs, venues, uh stadiums, festivals, all of that stuff. And been doing this29 minutes, 45 seconds
for 8 years now. And you know, personal life, families, all of that, you know, quickly realizing it's a struggle. It29 minutes, 54 seconds
takes a lot of work. Not that we've lost momentum, but I think we kind of somewhere in the middle of all this had30 minutes, 2 seconds
to like take a look at it again like how can we approach this without, you know, losing a band member um or getting30 minutes, 11 seconds
stressed out. So, so the goal hasn't changed. We still want to, like I just said, you know, travel the world, play30 minutes, 20 seconds
um yeah, just play what we think is awesome music and hopefully connect with a bunch of people and just have fun and30 minutes, 28 seconds
yeah, just sticking with it for as long as we can see ourselves, you know, doing this, having fun with it.30 minutes, 36 seconds
I have an idea cuz I'm in marketing. Um you see Galactus over my shoulder. Maybe maybe the next time you guys play like a30 minutes, 43 seconds
big festival, Christian can wear a Galactus helmet along with the leotard and that might be the very thing that30 minutes, 50 seconds
puts you guys over the top and you become rich beyond your wildest dreams.30 minutes, 54 seconds
Galacticus Mercury Galactis. Yeah. Yeah. That's our ticket to going viral.31 minutes
That's right. That's right. Well, you guys got to you guys got to keep doing what you're doing because um you know, this is a crusher record and uh if you31 minutes, 9 seconds
don't gain some ground from it, I will be very surprised.31 minutes, 12 seconds
Yeah. And I got to tell you, I mean, again, I and I'm not lying to you. From Hell I Rise by Carrie King, your record blows it away. Um I do love some of the31 minutes, 21 seconds
low-end stuff. I love all everything that you guys do, but you know, Christian's Low End has a Chuck Billy thing going on and I really really31 minutes, 30 seconds
caught on to that because I've was I've been with Testament since the beginning and I love Chuck Billy and he's not31 minutes, 37 seconds
going to be around forever and so I I I really do love what you did there. I even saw some of the framing and leadins31 minutes, 45 seconds
to his lower end stuff that was very reminiscent of Testament. So, I appreciate that and really do want good stuff for you guys and keep have have you keep going.31 minutes, 55 seconds
It's it's amazing. Thank you. I I don't know what to say.31 minutes, 59 seconds
It's it's um Yeah, I suck at stuff like that. This it's it's too much. But but we [ __ ] appreciate it. It means the world. It really does. Yeah.32 minutes, 9 seconds
Well, it's easy. You know, we're the we get to hear the fruits of your labor.32 minutes, 14 seconds
And you know, I I think Dererick and I tend to stick to to music and bands and32 minutes, 20 seconds
styles that we're into obviously. Um, but uh it's great to have something pop up on the radar that, you know, we32 minutes, 29 seconds
didn't know anything about before when it's amazing. And this is a great record, man. This is a really powerful 30 minutes. You know what? Another cool32 minutes, 37 seconds
thing, and then we'll get to quickies, but another cool thing that I really like is, like you said, it's 31 minutes, but it is a powerp packed 31 minutes.32 minutes, 44 seconds
And I wish it was 45 minutes or 47 minutes, but I'm almost glad it's not because it feels to me like you guys32 minutes, 53 seconds
said everything you needed to say and then stopped. There's no [ __ ] There's no filler. And I think that's important because it's a it's easy to33 minutes, 2 seconds
go, "Oh, let's drop some interludes in." And you know, there's a place for interludes. And no filler, just killer.33 minutes, 8 seconds
Yeah. All filler. Yeah. Oh, sorry. All killer, no filler. Yeah.33 minutes, 12 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. And that's how your album plays. So, props to you guys on that.33 minutes, 17 seconds
It's the um it's the player uh Rain in Blood Approach. Um how long is that album? 30 minutes, I think. Something33 minutes, 26 seconds
like that. It's I would much rather personally put on an album that takes I33 minutes, 32 seconds
don't know 20 minutes, 30, 35 minutes and just be blown away and immediately33 minutes, 39 seconds
just restart it from top to bottom. Much rather than having a 45inut record where33 minutes, 47 seconds
I'm I'm kind of getting lost in the last third of the album like the songs are starting to like flow together. I don't33 minutes, 56 seconds
think it's my attention span. I don't know. It might be. Um but but it's all personal preferences. I mean, I like a I still listen to Prague metal some of the34 minutes, 5 seconds
times and you have like an hour or an hour and 30 minute long albums and there's a place for that. But for what34 minutes, 12 seconds
we're doing, I don't think we might put in an extra song or two on the new album. Who knows? But I don't34 minutes, 20 seconds
think we'll go much high higher than maybe 35 minutes. Mhm. I I don't think it's necessary really.34 minutes, 30 seconds
Yeah. I think you can lose some impact when you when you do that.34 minutes, 34 seconds
Yeah. And again, I would much rather just have people go, that was [ __ ] awesome. I'll just restart it and take34 minutes, 41 seconds
the journey again. Yeah. Well, your album is [ __ ] awesome, and I have restarted it many, many, many times over the last week, so know that.34 minutes, 52 seconds
Yeah, thank you. All right, so this next section is called quickies. It's just this or that type questions. Don't think34 minutes, 59 seconds
about it too much. If you want to expound an answer, feel free. If not, that's fine, too. First question, scalding hot coffee or freezing cold energy drinks?35 minutes, 9 seconds
I love both. It's summer. I'll go for a freezing cold energy drink. Yeah.35 minutes, 14 seconds
Uh the absolute perfect pick attack or the absolute perfect string tension. Uh string tension. Yeah. Okay.35 minutes, 23 seconds
Yeah.35 minutes, 23 seconds
Eternal downpicking or alternate picking complexity?35 minutes, 27 seconds
Down picking down. I think that's the right answer.35 minutes, 31 seconds
Yeah, it is. It is the right answer and you know it.35 minutes, 36 seconds
a uh a smartphone with a horribly cracked screen that works perfectly or a brand new phone with a painfully slow internet connection.35 minutes, 45 seconds
I'll take the slow internet connection. I can I can do fine. Yeah. Yeah.35 minutes, 49 seconds
Okay. Well, you can come down here to uh uh to to my my part of the world in Southwest Florida where we have coconut internet and uh we can suffer together.35 minutes, 58 seconds
recording in a high-end sterile studio setup or recording in the sweaty chaotic rehearsal room where you track the demos.36 minutes, 7 seconds
Rehearsal room. Yeah, like a gritty vibe. Keep it real. Yeah.36 minutes, 12 seconds
Nice. Okay. Now, this one I I debated whether or not to to to ask this one because I am terrible with36 minutes, 19 seconds
pronunciations. So, please forgive me and bear with me. After a show, are you going to go with a smurabbr or a tasty greasy kebab?36 minutes, 30 seconds
A kebab. Yeah. Yeah, definitely.36 minutes, 33 seconds
Now, because I don't want to I don't want to blow this one. You have to explain to me exactly what a smur is.36 minutes, 40 seconds
And did how how do I do on the pronunciation?36 minutes, 42 seconds
It's actually pretty good. Um Yes.36 minutes, 45 seconds
Um again, us dumb Nordic countries, we have a few extra letters in the alphabet. You guys don't.36 minutes, 52 seconds
Right. Right. And they they can be quite tricky because Danish is it's a dumb language. It's um37 minutes
it kind of is. It's always that that approach to like people telling me like it sounds like you you take a potato, you put it in your mouth, and you go37 minutes, 9 seconds
it's Danish. But yeah, it's called um it's um you guys have rye bread, right?37 minutes, 17 seconds
Yes. Yeah. Um it it's like a it's like a fancy piece of rye bread. Um just37 minutes, 25 seconds
stacked with slice after slice slice of like it could be cold cuts, could be um37 minutes, 33 seconds
you know eggs, shrimps, mayo, all of that stuff. Just like a a fancy extravagant piece of rye bread really. Okay.37 minutes, 43 seconds
For me might be a bit overrated. Nah, I don't know. I'll take I think I'm going to go for the kebab, too. Yeah, I'll take a kebab.37 minutes, 51 seconds
Yeah. Any day.37 minutes, 54 seconds
All right, last one and then and then we'll let you go. A meticulously planned minute-by-minute daily tour schedule or38 minutes, 2 seconds
completely winging it and just going with whatever happens because I would say most of most of the time I would just go with the flow. But we haven't been that much on the road.38 minutes, 13 seconds
But when we are sometimes having like a schedule can help because you you do get38 minutes, 21 seconds
tired at some point. Like that is not a MLY crew answer. I was hoping for hookers and blow and like a crazy day and not knowing where you're38 minutes, 30 seconds
going to end up and no [ __ ] no we'll make the next show. Who knows? Maybe. It's such a boring answer, but can I have a just a bit of both?38 minutes, 38 seconds
Sure. Someday we'll allow it.38 minutes, 41 seconds
Yeah. Sundays more chaotic, some a bit more structured, and I think every everyone in the band can survive that.38 minutes, 49 seconds
Yeah. Yeah.38 minutes, 50 seconds
Fair enough. Good answers, man. Well, listen, we appreciate your time. We appreciate you hanging out with us.38 minutes, 55 seconds
Thank you so much. And thank you for again having me um on such short notice and yeah, listening to me for what now39 minutes, 2 seconds
50 Yeah, for 50 minutes just fumbling my way through. Well, listen, I'm going to cut this down. This is going to wind up being like 12 minutes.39 minutes, 11 seconds
Yeah, it'll be shorter than your record because you didn't really give us a lot to go on, you know. Just just kidding with you. It was great.39 minutes, 18 seconds
It's fine.39 minutes, 20 seconds
Thank you so much. I want to quickly get into um it has nothing to do with with our album. It's just a personal um39 minutes, 29 seconds
opinion. You guys were talking about Testament and the Big Four becoming the big five, right? Yeah.39 minutes, 35 seconds
[ __ ] yeah. Testament all the way. Yeah, you so you read that blog.39 minutes, 40 seconds
Yeah, I've been saying that for years and and the thing is is you look at Peterson and Skolnick and and you add in Chuck on top39 minutes, 47 seconds
of that, the talent level of that those three comparatively to some of the other B, you know, band members of the big four.39 minutes, 55 seconds
Yeah.39 minutes, 56 seconds
Not even close. I mean, you know, look, you can't compete with Slayer with with with Tom and and Henman and and um and40 minutes, 3 seconds
Carrie and Lombardo. Um, team setfield is in his own place. Dave Mustang is in own his own place. But you take the40 minutes, 11 seconds
three of them in testament. They can compete.40 minutes, 14 seconds
In some cases, I would almost go as far as say they can run circles around like40 minutes, 20 seconds
almost I love all of them. again thresh metal but sentiment is also for me the I think40 minutes, 30 seconds
more or less they've just gotten better and better and better with with age. You mentioned Christian sounding a bit like40 minutes, 38 seconds
Chuck. I think the older Chuck has gotten the better his voice has just40 minutes, 44 seconds
gotten as well. He sounds so [ __ ] brutal on the last few records. um totally40 minutes, 52 seconds
Parabellum from last year. Um the production in general, the new drummer, everything is just40 minutes, 58 seconds
it's just top tier modern. Um yeah, testament thresh metal. It's it is [ __ ] stink. Love it.41 minutes, 8 seconds
Yeah. I thought that the Parabellum record was right there with um you know like Souls of Black and the Gathering, you know, going way back like it like I41 minutes, 17 seconds
and I look I've liked their records since then, but that one went back to their roots.41 minutes, 22 seconds
It is, you know, it it is awesome. Yeah.41 minutes, 25 seconds
Well, we will leave you with this. Let's take that last sentiment again. Thank you for joining us. We love the record.41 minutes, 31 seconds
Anything we can do to get it out there, we're going to. And we appreciate your time today. So, when we sign off, what I41 minutes, 39 seconds
want you to think about is instead of a big four or a big five, I want to put out for your consideration a big six.41 minutes, 46 seconds
Let's add Britney.41 minutes, 47 seconds
But Britney, she she has Britney Spears.41 minutes, 50 seconds
Yeah. Yeah. But but she has to close every night. And you do know that.41 minutes, 53 seconds
Who else would close on a bill like that? Of course, it's going to be Britney [ __ ] Yeah, it's Britney [ __ ] Do do you think that modern Britney has42 minutes, 1 second
hookers and blow these days? Yeah, if you follow her social media stuff, you would not be beat up for thinking she does.42 minutes, 9 seconds
Yeah, I I think I you you mentioned the Mly Crew lifestyle. I think that's pretty much going back to like the whole '8s hookers blow, all of that.42 minutes, 20 seconds
So, you're you're saying your idol Britney is into that stuff?42 minutes, 24 seconds
Idol is a stretch, but but she has Look, it's just us here talking. Nobody's watching, man. Who can admit it?42 minutes, 32 seconds
Trust me. Trust me. I I don't do guilty pleasures. I just I stand with what I love. I don't care. Um yeah, if it's pop42 minutes, 40 seconds
music, jazz, whatever. Don't do guilty pleasures. Just enjoy what you enjoy and let other people have their opinion. So42 minutes, 47 seconds
yeah, and that's how you end it right there. Thank you guys. Thank you for having me.42 minutes, 52 seconds
And hopefully we can do this again sometime. Absolutely. Anytime. Great stuff, man.
